MNIP

The Independence Party of Minnesota, aka MNIP, is one of the most successful political “third parties” in America; It does not seem so long ago when in 2002 the Minnesota Independence Party had a sitting State Governor and a U.S. Senator.

A Fairly Quick Introduction

I consider myself a moderate and I like many other members of the Minnesota Independence Party find myself in the middle of many of the Political Spectrum; I consider myself a social liberal and fiscally conservative. I have been a supporter of the Minnesota Independence Party since the late 1990s; if I had more time I would be more active with the Minnesota Independence Party than I currently am, heck I might even run for State Seat if I had more time.
As a resident of Woodbury Minnesota, I live in the 6th U.S. Congressional, 56th State Senate, and 56B State Representative Districts.

Minnesota Political Links

Disclaimer

This web-log (AKA - BLOG) is my personal commentary on the Minnesota Independence Party as well as the political races and issues the Independence Party is involved with.This web-log is not reviewed, sanctioned, authorized, or condoned by the Minnesota Independence Party, its Candidates or Agents.

An editorial by Pat Garofalo, R-Farmington, and Steve Simon, DFL-St. Louis Park in the Minneapolis Star and Tribune by highlights a great number of problems with our current system on electing a president, the problem with the solution does not in any way solve the problem.

Election money goes to where the votes and more specifically where a large number of voters who may be the fence are, this isn't going to change simply because of a change to how we award Electoral votes in Minnesota.

The State of Minnesota needs to look at how we award Electoral Votes, that much we agree on, however the solution I prefer is to award an electoral vote based upon the winner (person with the most votes) in each of the congressional districts and two electoral votes for the over all winner in the state. Puts as much importance on the Eighth Congressional District as the Sixth Congressional District.

The Republican Plan, released on Monday, has about as much chance of getting approved by Governor Dayton as I do of winning the Powerball Jackpot tonight, virtually Nil.

So why make the proposals, it is called Negotiations, you start at what you really want and than work you way towards an agreement. The problem is Governor Dayton holds to many cards for the Republicans in this case.

The Republican Proposal is an attempt to make the reelection of it's four Republican Congresspeople easier, notably Chip Cravaack in CD 8 who has at best an uphill battle to hold onto his seat.

There are some nice things about the Republican Plan, like separating St. Paul and Minneapolis, which they have done in the past. However to do so they did some weird lines, including dividing my city of Woodbury into multiple Congressional Districts which runs counter to state law, except where necessary.

Also intresting on the Changes to the 6th CD, which on map doesn't shed much but supposidily drops several hundred thousand voters, got to say I don't believe it.

In Minnesota we are one of 13 states that does not allow Liquor Sales on Sunday or a number of Federal Holidays and recently a push has been made to change our Sate Laws to allow this and make other changes to our Liquor Sales system.

The problem of course you looking at making a change and you must ask is who benefits?Obviously the consumers benefits, but do they really?

Liquor Sales on Sunday will cut into minimal profits of many smaller, Mom and Pop Owned or Community Owned Liquor Stores. This will greatly hurt those stores in the out state area where sales on Sunday will be negligible. Allow me to explain, my parents had a small business with a Liquor License while I was growing up, even in Wisconsin Liquor Sales on Sunday where an incredible small portion of their sales. It wasn't that Joe Schmoe and his friends didn't buy a bottle of Wine or a Case of Beer, rather it was just one or two people. So the reality is it is just a minor convenience to the individual who forget to buy that one item.Minnesota requires that Liquor Business be broken up into separate business, so unlike my parents who also sold groceries and gas, these are just Liquor Stores. How many of these businesses are going to turn a profit for being open on Sunday, my guess is damn few. These businesses are not going to have enough in sales to justify being open but will be required to.

To continue to make their current level of income that means the cost of Beer, Liquor, and Wine will have to increase so that one person in several hundred who wants to buy an Alcoholic Beverage for Off-Sale purchase.

In my opinion unless you are going to overhaul a great number of Liquor Laws this one should be left alone.

In my letter to Governor Dayton on April 6th I warned about the hidden or not included costs of building a new Stadium and in today's article by the Star Tribune those same issues are brought up and let's not forget today's editorial in the Star Tribune either.

I cannot believe that educated people who do this for a living, I mean our elected officials, did not or ignored these issues.

While I personally would like to see the Minnesota Vikings get a new stadium, the sites being talked about are not in anyone's best interests. They cost too much and have too little improvement for anyone but the Wilf's pocketbook. Nothing against people making money with Big Time Businesses.

I still believe that building a stadium near the Minnesota State Fair Ground makes the most sense for the people of Minnesota.

On a State Level the Republicans control the majority in the House and Senate how will their campaign look next year when running to retain control.

Expect to see a lot of hot topics which score points with the conservative base pushed, these include Abortion, Gay Marriage, Gun Rights, and Taxes. The question that will need to be answered is how are the people in the Middle with Right leaning tendencies going to take those issues being forced upon them.

In several latest polls (including the one by the Star Tribune) indicate as much as 70% of Minnesotans support a women's right to choose. While this has been a hot button issue with the state politics for years many don't think it is an important issue, especially with the state deficits. If the Republicans push too hard on this issue the risk large black lash from the middle.

Gay Marriage is another issue that the Social Conservatives want to push, well more specifically they want to push a Amendment to the State Constitution in an effort to further block Gay marriage in the State. Worried about "activist judges". It is interesting that Minnesota is considered to have an extremely Liberal Judicial base in both State and Federal courts, yet so far no challenge to the law has gotten any legal traction here. This push can only be made to get more support, I mean dollars, from the Conservative base. The big problem for the Republicans is there plan may back fire on them. This is an issue that could come to dominate the elections come next Summer and since Minnesota Leans Left on the Social Issues could this issue get more Democrats to the Voting Booth than Republicans?

Gun Rights just like Gay Marriage is another Conservative issue that could back fire for the Republicans if pushed too hard. I expect to see this issue early in the election cycle than basically forgotten until three weeks before the election in November.

The No New Taxes issue which always hits home with people, including the 90% of Minnesotans who it doesn't apply to in the first place is going to be the top issue. However for the Republicans it is putting them in a very hard place to stay. Most Minnesotans understand that for Government to work it needs Money, that money is collected in Fees or Taxes (spelled Fees if you read Tim Pawlenty's Lips). If you play less in one form you need to pay more in another, for most Minnesotans the Statewide issues will result in higher local taxes, um property taxes. Minnesotans are going to have gotten thier 2013 Tax stuff by the time the elections happen and this is not going to be pretty for the Republicans. This is why they are pushing bills and the like to hold down Property Taxes. The funny part is for Most Minnesotans who would be effected by tax increases aren't as high effected by the property tax increase and Vice Versa. If the left can hit that fact home this is a losing effort by Republicans, if Not expect 90 mailings a day highlighting the "Tax and Spend" Democrats.

Mark Jenkins, the Interim Chairman, was elected to a full term as Party Chairman at the Annual Party Convention.

My focus for the next 12 months is to build the IP brand. In 2011, the party behind great candidates like Tim Penny, Dean Barkley and Tom Horner will put its own message in front of Minnesotans. In 2012, we will put that messaging to work in state legislative races throughout the state.

The Independence Party of Minnesota will continue to be the voice for Minnesota’s moderate majority by presenting real, reasonable solutions to the issues that are central to all Minnesotans.

Bruce Andersen was elected Party Director, Sally Paulsen was relected as Party Treasurer and Chris Pfeifer relected Party Secretary